Month: March 2018

Technical Assistance

Coshocton SWCD provides technical assistance through a cooperative working agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service.  All technical assistance provided by the Coshocton SWCD MUST follow USDA-NRCS standards and specifications.  If the landowner wishes to install the practice without following these guidelines, our assistance will be withdrawn immediately.

Coshocton SWCD and USDA-NRCS provide technical assistance for the construction of conservation practices with the following guidelines:

Technical Assistance will be provided for site evaluation, conservation planning, design of the engineering plan and on-site supervision of the construction only if USDA-NRCS Standards & Specifications are followed.

What we DO
 
Assistance is provided for:
           •  Site evaluations.
           •  Conservation plan development.
           •  Engineering assistance- including plan and design.
•  Technical assistance provided at site:
           •  Provide technical assistance during construction.
           •  Answer questions about the construction of the practice.
           •  Materials- MUST meet USDA-NRCS specifications.
           •  USDA-NRCS standards and specifications MUST be followed.  
           •  Pre-construction meetings to review with landowner and contractor.
           •  Any changes to plan- needs to be approved by person with the proper
                job approval authority.
          •  All USDA-NRCS safety requirements must be followed and met.
          •  OUPS MUST be called 48 hours prior to digging, at 1-800-362-2764.
          •  Ohio Oil & Gas Association MUST be called 48 hours prior to digging, at
               1-800-925-0988.
•  Assistance for the installation of tile drainage:
          •  Site review and soils information.

What we DON’T do
•  Assist with projects that DO NOT follow USDA-NRCS standards and
     specifications.

•  We DO NOT operate equipment for the contractor.
•  We DO NOT supply the labor to install the practice.
•  We DO NOT provide assistance with construction of any practice without an
     approved conservation and engineering plan.

•  We DO NOT provide assistance if the materials do not meet USDA-NRCS
     standards and specifications.

Failure to follow any guidelines will result in our withdrawal of technical assistance and could effect the eligibility of cost-sharing funds.

Coshocton SWCD Board of Supervisors have prioritized the workload of our technical staff and will follow the priorities as set by our stakeholders.  
Priorities are as follows:
          1. CONSERVATION EDUCATION
          2.  IMPROVE WATER QUALITY
          3.  FOREST MANAGEMENT
          4.  PASTURE MANAGEMENT

Soils and Technical Assistance
     
•  Information on soil types and limitations for different uses- basements,
          septic tanks, roads, etc.

     •  Information about suitable crops, rotations for each kind of soil, and
          development of conservation plan.

     •  Information about manure application rates and development of
          comprehensive nutrient management plans to properly handle manure and
          commercial fertilizer.

     •  Assistance in designing, laying out, and supervising construction of
          conservation practices; for example, grassed waterways, diversions,
          contour strips, spring developments, structures, and animal manure
          storage facilities.

     •  Information about alternative land uses and treatments for controlling
          erosion and reducing sedimentation.

     •  Aerial and soil maps of Coshocton County.

 

Conservation Education

Enviroscape Model

This model is available for Classroom Demonstrations for grades K-12. It is used as an educational tool to demonstrate how everyday activities can result in Non-Point Source Water Pollution (NPS). Non-Point Source pollution refers to pollution which does not come from one single identifiable source, however it includes runoff from lawns, streets, farms and other surfaces. With the model, students are able to see and discuss the cause and effect of daily activities within the watershed. The model is designed for grades K-6, however high school students can benefit from the presentation as well. The model involves a hands-on approach for students.

Groundwater Model

The groundwater model is available for classroom demonstrations for grades 4-12. The model is designed to help teach principles of groundwater movement and contamination. The model is a cross-section of a soil profile, highlighting the different textures (sand, silt, clay and rock) which make up our soils. Dye is added to the model to demonstrate various types of groundwater pollution. Students can see how pollution can enter into the groundwater supply and how it travels.

Ag Awareness Day

Coshocton County Farm Bureau sponsors an Ag Awareness Day for all fourth graders in Coshocton County every fall. Several volunteers from Coshocton County Farm Bureau, agricultural related businesses and agencies as well as individuals participate. The Farm Bureau puts the program together for the day with stations set up to give students a chance to participate in activities directly related to farming. Some stations include honeybees, food production, dairy cattle, fish, forestry, goats, grain production, greenhouse, llama, safety and 4-wheelers, sheep, soybean uses, swine, GPS technology, watershed education and soil conservation.

Due to limited school funding for special events such as Ag Awareness Day, Coshocton SWCD and Coshocton County Farm Bureau work together to generate funds for the schools’ transportation costs.

Thank You
to these area individuals, businesses and
organizations for donating towards transportation
costs over the past several years:

Bluck & Sons, Inc. • Chase Bank • Coshocton Broadcasting Company • Coshocton County Advertiser • Coshocton County Beacon • Coshocton County Farm Bureau • Coshocton Grain Company • Coshocton Soil & Water Conservation District • Finton Equipment-John Deere • Frontier Power Company • Hopewell PTO • Ridgewood FFA • River View FFA • Tim & Nanci Rogers • Tumblin Farms-David Tumblin • WenMar Farms, Inc.

Earth Day Celebration

Each year Coshocton SWCD assists with the annual Earth Day Celebration. More than 400 students from area schools grades 6-8 take part in several different activities throughout the day. In the past, this event has been held on AEP Conesville’s reclaimed acreage and at the Muskingum Valley Boy Scout Camp. With the SWCD, students collect samples for stream monitoring. Depending on macroinvertebrates found, students can determine the quality of water.
Macroinvertebrates are identified and listed on a stream assessment in groups. Group 1 are pollution-sensitive organisms found in good water quality. Group 2 are somewhat pollution tolerant and can survive in good or fair water quality. Group 3 includes pollution tolerant organisms and can be in any quality of water. Students learn how people can make a difference in the environment by using conservation practices to help protect the environment from pollutants.

Envirothon Competition

This is a competitive outdoor team event for high school students that tests their knowledge in 5 areas: aquatic ecology, forestry, soils, wildlife and current environmental issues. The contest is designed to stimulate and reinforce their interests in the environment and our natural resources. The event is sponsored by the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

All area high schools are encouraged to participate in this competition. Each participating school is permitted to have a maximum of two teams. Teams should consist of 5 students per team. For more information contact us or visit OFSWCD’s Envirothon page.

 Forestry and Wildlife Conservation Camp – Scholarships Available

Coshocton SWCD co-sponsors delegates to the Ohio Forestry and Wildlife Conservation Camp held at Camp Muskingum in Carroll County. Students participate in hands on conservation training and develop a better understanding and appreciation of our natural resources. They participate in classes covering tree identification, silviculture, ecology and forest products. Students will also learn how to measure the size of standing trees and logs and determine their value. This camp is held in June each year. Those interested in being considered for a scholarship must contact the office in April.

5th Grade Poster Contest

Coshocton SWCD sponsors a 5th Grade Poster Contest in conjunction with our display at the Coshocton County Fair. Coshocton city and county fifth graders receive a classroom presentation titled “Have You Eaten Any Soil Lately?” Students are then asked to draw a poster about something they learned from the lesson that everything we eat can be traced back to a plant grown in the soil. Teachers select the best poster for their classroom. All entries are displayed in the Coshocton SWCD Fair Booth, and the fair going public takes it upon themselves to decide a winner. First place receives $25 and a pizza party for their class, second place $15 and an ice cream party for their class, and third place $10 and an ice cream party for their class.

Junior Fair Hay Show

The Coshocton SWCD sponsors the Junior Fair Hay Show every year as part of the Coshocton County Fair. Five classes are judged – Alfalfa, Clover, Grass, Light Mixed Hay and Mixed Hay. The top winner in each class is given a complimentary ticket to the Coshocton SWCD Annual Banquet, a rosette for their class and a $25 cash prize for attending the banquet.

Project Wet Workshop For Teachers

The goal of Project Wet is to facilitate and promote awareness, appreciation, knowledge and stewardship of water resources through classroom resources and a Project Wet Curriculum Guide for grades K-12. For more information on Project Wet in Ohio go to ODNR’s webpage.

Storm Water Education

Coshocton SWCD works to educate Coshocton City residents about the storm drains in the city. The drains run straight to the river, so any litter, oil, or other pollutants in or along roadways go into the river.